With the sharp rise in Coatings (ie Optimum Opti-Coat, 22ple, etc.) that require a properly prepped surface we have been receiving more questions about how you dilute isopropyl alcohol (aka IPA) correctly. One of the most popular bottles you can pick up contains a ratio of 70/30 (Alcohol to Distilled Water), which can make the math a bit challenging if you want to dilute it. While it is generally okay to use it at the 70/30 ratio, many detailers prefer to dilute it down to a 50/50 (Alcohol to Distilled Water) ratio for optimal results. If you don’t want the boring details skip to the pictures and chart at the end of the article. For those who want to know the exact math behind the dilution we did our best to break it down very simply so please keep reading.

Using the following formula, .7 represents the 70% isopropyl alcohol you have and .5 represents the 50% we want to end up with. Therefore our formula to determine the appropriate percentage of alcohol is:

.7x = .5 = .7143 or 71.43%

In conclusion x = 71.43 or 71.43%. So no matter what size bottle you have fill 71.43% of it with the 70/30 mix of isopropyl alcohol and the rest with water. If you want to determine the percentage of water just take the difference between the 71.43% and a full bottle which is represented by 1.

You are now going to want to fill each bottle to this line with water. We used some blue food coloring to help highlight the water for picture purposes.

After filling the bottle with 28.57% distilled water fill the rest of the bottle with a 70/30 isopropyl alcohol.

You now have a bottle of 50/50 isopropyl alcohol mix to help remove old protection and ensure you have a clean surface! You can also take a look at the table below for complete dilution information on multiple size bottles!

Diluting Isopropyl Alcohol (70/30 to 50/50)

Bottle Size

% Of Water (Distilled)

Ounces Of Water (Distilled)

% Of Isopropyl Alcohol (70/30)

Ounces Of Isopropyl Alcohol (70/30)

8 Ounces

28.57%

2.3 Ounces

71.43%

5.7 Ounces

12 Ounces

28.57%

3.4 Ounces

71.43%

8.6 Ounces

16 Ounces

28.57%

4.6 Ounces

71.43%

11.4 Ounces

22 Ounces

28.57%

6.3 Ounces

71.43%

15.7 Ounces

32 Ounces

28.57%

9.1 Ounces

71.43%

22.9 Ounces

64 Ounces

28.57%

18.3 Ounces

71.43%

45.7 Ounces

128 Ounces

28.57%

36.6 Ounces

71.43%

91.4 Ounces

Hopefully this information was helpful in answering some of your questions about diluting isopropyl alcohol!

You see the pictures online from your favorite detailers and you wonder how those results are continually achieved car after car. Obviously, there are many factors such as products, technique, and knowledge that allow the detailer to bring a car back from a less than desirable condition, but there are very important steps that need to be done prior to starting the polishing portion of paint correction work…ITS ALL IN THE PREP! You want to properly cleanse and strip all parts of the car of any foreign substances so that you are working with bare surfaces.

What I mean by prep are the steps needed to be taken to properly clean and ensure the surface is ready to be polished up. Precautions need to be taken to ensure edges are not burned, trim is not stained and melted, and everything you dont want polish splatter on is protected. Have you ever tried to remove polish from side mirror trim that has been sitting and baking on there day after day in the hot sun? Its not fun and can be extremely bothersome for the type of individual who likes a perfectly detailed car. Wouldn’t it be nice to not have to even deal with that in the first place? I think so!!!

Specific areas to take caution with are uneven adjacent panels, metal panels with plastic panels next to them, and edges of panels where the paint is more thin and more susceptible to burning through aggressive polishing. While you are polishing an area with uneven panels, the pad will “grip and grab” on the higher edge and will in turn, become more aggressive at that instance and will lead to a greater chance of burning an edge. With panels that are of a different material such as metal doors and plastic side skirts, caution needs to be taken as each material will heat up at different rates, requiring different polishing speeds, and polish/pad selection in some cases, as well as working time. While one will require, and withstand, a 2 minute working time, the adjacent might only allow 30 seconds before it gets too hot and raise the chances for burning the paint. In regards to edges, those are the first areas to go when polishing. As mentioned before, as the pad goes off the edge and then returns to the panel, the pad becomes more aggressive at that instance. Instead of looking at a burned edge from then on, protect the edge with some masking tape.

Hi Gang, I see several references to an IPA (Isopropyl Alcohol) wipedown. I know WHEN its needed – as another way to remove any remaining sealant/wax. But I don’t know the proper technique HOW to do it. (e.g., 1:1 dilution? 1 small bucket & a microfiber rag? Single light-pressure swipe? Water rinse/wash after?) Can you advise? Thanks! -Eric H.

This is a great question that was submitted from my fellow Columbus, OH resident Eric H…thanks for sending it in!

First let me address the “why” for those unfamiliar with using Isopropyl Alcohol (IPA) in detailing.

There are actually a couple of reasons for the IPA wipedown. The first would be for stripping the surface from any remaining waxes, sealants, or polishing residue. If you want to make sure that any previous wax or sealant layers are stripped from the surface, then do an IPA wipedown to remove them. If you’ve finished your polishing process, and want to make sure all of the carrier oils in the polish is removed to ensure that you get a better bond for your wax or sealant, then do an IPA wipedown. Isopropyl Alcohol will safely and effectively break down and remove residue from the surface to prepare it for your next step.

The second reason behind the IPA wipedown is for inspection during the polishing process. Some polishes may fill-in the fine defects, and give you the false impression that they have been removed. When we use IPA to thoroughly clean the surface from any remaining polishing residue, we’re making sure that what we see is what we get!

OK, so how do we use it?

Actually it’s quite simple to use. First you’ll want to take a trip to your favorite grocery or drug store, and pick up a bottle of Isopropyl Alcohol and some distilled water. You’ll typically find a few different types of IPA (either in 70%, or in the 90-99% range), but in my experience I don’t think it matters too much for what we’re using it for. You can use it straight, or you can dilute it 50/50 with distilled water. You obviously get more stripping ability with it in full strength, but it also dries more quickly and leaves more of a residue/streaking. If you’re using it after polishing or inspecting, you may want to use it full strength. If you’re just doing a wipedown and want to go straight to a wax or sealant application, then you may want to use it 50/50 to reduce the chances of streaking.

In either ratio, get yourself an empty spray bottle to put your solution in (or you can just put a trigger sprayer right onto the IPA bottle that it came in). Now that you’ve got your IPA solution in a bottle with a trigger sprayer, arm yourslef with some soft, clean microfiber towels and you’re ready to go!

Now lightly spray down a panel at a time and gently wipe it off with your microfiber towel. Always use extremely light pressure just as you would if you were using a quick detailer or a spray wax. If you use too much, then you risk marring or scratching the paint that you just finished polishing! Also be sure to continually use a fresh side of the towel, and don’t be afraid to go through 3 or 4 different towels during the process. It’s just laundry, right? Once you’ve wiped down the surface, then you’re ready to go to your next step of applying your favorite wax or sealant. There’s no need to re-wash the car after you’ve used IPA.

That’s really all there is to it!

If you have any additional questions about how and/or when to use IPA, please put them in the comment box below.

I NEED TO REMOVE SPRAY PROTECTANT FROM INTERIOR WINDSHIELD. ANY HELP OUT THERE? I’VE TRIED STONERS GLASS, WAX, OOOO STEEL WOOL, AND BABY POWDER WITH NO LUCK. HELP PLEASE. George Eckert III

George you have experience the off-gassing of a poor product onto your interior windscreen!

Many over the counter products will do this over time, and it’s annoying. My method to this madness is to use full strength 91% Isopropyl Alcohol (IPA) in a spray bottle and several towels; never using the same side of the towel more than once. Break the area you need to clean into sections and clean. Your towels will remove the product onto them, so don’t reuse that side of the towel again. Depending upon how bad it is, you may have to do more than one application of this method. Once you get the product off the glass, get it off your dash. This will take some time to properly remove all the imbedded product. Spray your towel with IPA and wipe. This might have a drying effect to your vinyl, but you can use ONR to help restore some of the drying effects. I like to use ONR (diluted 2oz/32oz distilled water) for my interior dash cleaning and protection. I also like 1Z cockpit premium for cleaning and protection. Both leave a matte finish, and don’t leave the horrid hard to remove off gassing.

Let us know how that cleaning works out, I’m sure you will need to swear a few times so keep the kids out of the area!!!

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I recently started polishing my family and friends’ cars, as well as mine, but I always manage to get polish in the crevices? How would I go about removing it?

Thanks for submitting your question Christopher.

This is a very common issue that we detailers need to address on every single polishing job. How we choose to deal with it will vary from one person to the next, but taking the time to do it properly is a sign of a quality detail job.

I see a lot of cars out there that have been “detailed” in the past, and unfortunately the person working on the car cut corners and didn’t clean up the mess afterwards. This is an un-finished job, and looks very unprofessional. Depending on the polish or compound that is used, it can also turn very hard over time and then it becomes quite difficult to remove.

The first option that you have is to prevent the polish from getting into the cracks and crevices in the first place. You can tape up body seams, around lights, trim, emblems, and any other places that polish or compound can get into. Not only does taping prevent polish build-up in these areas, but it’s also protecting delicate edges and trim.

As you can see in this photo, I have applied a 1/4″ strip of tape over this seam just to prevent polish from getting down into the seal.

We’ve addressed how to prevent polish build up in crevices, so now let’s take a quick look at how to remove it. At the end of the polishing session, we’re always going to have residue and build-up at the edges where the tape was, and we’ll also have some in areas that couldn’t be taped. This can become a time-intensive task, but it has to be done properly. You need to be very careful during this stage, otherwise you risk scratching up the areas that you just spent a good part of a day (or more) polishing.

First make sure that you have several high quality (clean) microfiber towels just for this task. You want to be sure that you’re regularly switching to a clean area of the towel because the polish or compound can quickly build up on the towel, and depending on the product you’re working with it could mar the finish.

Now for cleaning solutions, you have several different options. I have a few favorites that I work with for this task. Since I’m cleaning polishing dust out of door jambs, under the hood, and in the trunk area at the same time, I’ll usually reach for a pre-mixed bottle of Optimum No Rinse at Quick Detailer ratio. I can clean those areas and remove polish at the edges at the same time. Just spray some directly onto your microfiber towel, and very gently remove the polish residue. Once again, if you’re close to a visible painted surface when doing this, be very careful so you don’t mar the finish. Another couple of products that I use are Meguiar’s M34 Final Inspection, and Meguiar’s Ultimate Quick Detailer. If I am dealing with compound or a polish from a previous detailer, and it is caked in an area around marker lights or tail lights, I will spray it down with Isopropyl Alcohol to help break down the residue. If you have very hard compound built up from somebody else’s work, and it’s turned into concrete, then you could use some fresh compound or polish on a microfiber towel and clean those areas up before you start your own polishing.

This can take quite a bit of time to do it right, but it makes all the difference in the world after the job is done.

I hope this helps! If you have any additional questions or comments, please don’t hesitate to ask.

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I have an alpine white bmw with a clear bra. The edges are of the mask have turned black. I wash the car at least once a week but the edges never clean up. I haven’t tried polish or anything on them in fear of ruining the mask… what’s the best way to clean them? Great site btw….thanks -jc

Clear bra technology has given drivers a clear alternative to those bulky, black vinyl versions of the 80’s. While the protection is comparable, the upkeep is a little more involved. The problem is that by being made to look crystal clear, any imperfections can quickly draw one’s negative attention. But with some attention every now and then, and some careful maintenance, clear protective films can go on providing invisible protection for many years.

It isn’t uncommon for residue to build up along the edges in the film (where the film meets the paint). It can come from built up wax residue combined with a little bit of adhesive trapping all kinds of little contaminants resulting in the black line around edges. Luckily, you should be relatively easy to cleanup with some simple products and some patience. The only time it would require some expert attention is if the edges have started to lift from the paint. In which case I will offer a suggestion, but should probably be taken back to the installer so they can fix it.

You will need: Q-Tips, Toothpicks, 1 Microfiber, and some Isopropyl Alcohol “IPA” (at about 30% strength). Beging by using your toothpicks break loose any wax residue that may be left crusting up the edge. Do not push hard into the film to avoid lifting it from the paint. You just want to run it back in forth in short strokes without jamming it under the film.

Next, soak 5-10 Q-Tips in the IPA. With light pressure, work the Q-Tips along the edge. Be careful not to apply too much force as you will induce marring to both the film and the paint.

Finally, use your microfiber to wipe up the area and move on to the next. Take your time and don’t be afraid to use as many Q-Tips as you have to ensure a nice finish.

Unfortunately, if the edge of the film has started to lift, and the dirt is underneath it, you will need to remove that portion of the film. For this I recommend expert attention (the person that installed it). If, though, you want to do it yourself, you will need an Exact-O Knife. Using a fine tip market, draw your trim line.Carefully trim the lifted area with the blade following the line you’ve drawn. Use only enough pressure to cut through the film and not damage the paint. You can see where the installer might be a better choice for this problem.

When finished, think about the future. When waxing the film, be very careful as you get close to the edge. One way to prevent wax build up is to apply 1/4-inch tape over the edge of the film. Another way is to use application strokes that move front to back only (off the film towards the windshield but not back towards the film). By using this technique, you would push any wax back into the edge causing residue to build up and make that Clear Bra look more like something from the 80’s.

﻿﻿Thanks for your question and let me know if you have any questions or comments.

Wishing you many distinctive miles!

]]>http://www.detailedimage.com/Ask-a-Pro/ask-a-pro-how-to-clean-clear-bra-edges/feed/1How to Remove Tree Sap From my Car?http://www.detailedimage.com/Ask-a-Pro/how-to-remove-tree-sap-from-my-car/
http://www.detailedimage.com/Ask-a-Pro/how-to-remove-tree-sap-from-my-car/#commentsFri, 12 Mar 2010 11:57:10 +0000http://www.detailedimage.com/Ask-a-Pro/?p=536This is a common question I get asked a lot and people are usually surprised that they already have a solution laying around in their house somewhere. There are many products out there that can remove tree sap, but the product I always reach for first is isopropyl alcohol (IPA). It’s cheap, safe, effective, and it can be found at pretty much any local grocery store. After thoroughly washing the vehicle, simply spray it onto the surface allowing it to dwell for bit, and then gently rub with a soft cloth dampened in isopropyl alcohol. Be sure to only use light pressure and turn the microfiber often to reveal a clean area to avoid marring the painted finish.

By using IPA (or other products) to remove the sap, you will also remove any wax or sealant in that area so it is recommended that you re-apply your favorite wax or sealant at least in that area when finished with the sap removal.

Note: With older dried sap, longer dwelling/rubbing time may be required for it to be removed. If the sap has etched into the paint it will require some measure of polishing or wet sanding to be removed. Extreme etching may be beyond the point of repair and will require a repaint.

Hope this helps.

]]>http://www.detailedimage.com/Ask-a-Pro/how-to-remove-tree-sap-from-my-car/feed/1What’s the Best Way to Remove Old Wax / Sealant So That I Can Apply a New / Different One?http://www.detailedimage.com/Ask-a-Pro/what%e2%80%99s-the-best-way-to-remove-old-waxsealant-so-that-i-can-apply-a-newdifferent-one/
http://www.detailedimage.com/Ask-a-Pro/what%e2%80%99s-the-best-way-to-remove-old-waxsealant-so-that-i-can-apply-a-newdifferent-one/#commentsThu, 25 Feb 2010 11:00:42 +0000http://www.detailedimage.com/Ask-a-Pro/?p=592So you just purchased a new wax or sealant and you want to know the best way to remove your previously applied product. This is a great question, as a lot of today’s sealants require a clean surface in order for them to bond properly and offer the most durability from the product. As with most things in detailing, there is more than one way to achieve this result. Sealants do tend to be harder to remove than most natural waxes and I suggest using the least aggressive steps needed to get the job done.

First, start with a good wash that followsTodd Cooperider’s tips on proper washing technique. The only thing we will want to vary is to increase our soap mixture to a paint-prep-ratio of 2oz per gallon of water. One of the great things about CG Citrus Wash N Clearis that it’s gentle enough for day-to-day washing when mixed at the normal ratio, but it can also remove most waxes at the paint prep ratio. Once you’ve thoroughly washed the car pay attention to whether or not the water is beading on the paint. When it no longer beads, you are done. Simply dry the car down and apply your new wax or sealant.

A third method you can use is a little more aggressive and is something I only recommend with the most durable of sealants. To use this method you simply add an APC like P21S TAW to your washing process. To do this I will spray 2-3 panels at a time with some TAW and then wash each section using the above method of paint-prep-ratio wash followed by a rinse. Continue these steps for the whole car and then observe the water beading after you rinse. At this point there should be no beading.

The last method for removing a wax or sealant would be to do an IPA wipe down (Isopropyl Alcohol). First you’ll need to properly wash and dry the vehicle. Next you want to fill aspray bottlewith a 50/50 mix of IPA and water. Spray a panel at a time with IPA and gently wipe dry with a clean soft Microfiber towel. The DI Ultra Plush towels work great for this step.

All of the above steps should effectively remove your previous wax or sealant, but I do strongly recommend use of a pre-wax cleaner if you are not going to be doing any polishing on the vehicle.

I hope this helps, and please feel free to reply in the comment box below if you have any additional questions or comments.

]]>http://www.detailedimage.com/Ask-a-Pro/what%e2%80%99s-the-best-way-to-remove-old-waxsealant-so-that-i-can-apply-a-newdifferent-one/feed/3Ask-A-Pro: New to a Porter Cable 7424XP and Need Help with Processhttp://www.detailedimage.com/Ask-a-Pro/ask-a-pro-new-to-a-porter-cable-7424xp-and-need-help-with-process/
http://www.detailedimage.com/Ask-a-Pro/ask-a-pro-new-to-a-porter-cable-7424xp-and-need-help-with-process/#commentsMon, 08 Feb 2010 12:39:43 +0000http://www.detailedimage.com/Ask-a-Pro/?p=943Bill is new to the PC7424XP, has several vehicles at home, and inquires about product selection and techniques to serve them both:

Dear Pro,

Have a 2004 Audi A6 in Irish Green Metallic. I believe this is a clear coated paint but don’t know whether it is a relatively hard or soft clear coat.

How do you suggest I go about polishing and sealing? It will be my first “detailing.”

Then will be taking on my wife’s silver Lexus – also a 2004. Any change in strategy here?

Bill,

Thanks for writing in! First of all, Audi typically uses (very) hard clear coat, whereas Lexus uses soft. Given this, the Audi will require a lot more effort in comparison to the Lexus.

You can use both polishes for both vehicles, however if you have deeper defects on the Audi you may want to consider something more aggressive down the road (Menzerna SIP or even more aggressive would be Meguiars M105). Since you’re just starting out however, I would take the time to get used to the products and processes first before chasing all defects. You will still have the ability to make a huge difference in both of your cars with the products and tools that you have.

After you wash and clay the Audi, and tape off rubber trim, you’ll be ready to polish. Most likely you’ll end up using PO203 with an orange pad, but you could try a white first just to compare the two. Apply 3 or 4 pea sized drops of polish on the pad, spread it in a bit, and working in about an 18″x18″ area, polish the surface on speed 6 with medium pressure. Slowly move the pad from side to side, overlapping passes by roughly 50% as you work your way down, and then use the same technique in an up and down direction (and then repeat the process). After a few minutes you should see the polish change to a translucent, which is when you know that the polish has broken down. At this point you should reduce the PC to about speed 4-5, and reduce to a light pressure for a few more passes. Now wipe off the polish residue with a soft microfiber towel and inspect your work. If it has a bit of a hazy finish, then you’ve either gone too fast and not allowed the polish to properly break down, or you’ve worked it dry. If this happens, just apply a couple more drops and re-work the section and it should clear right up. Once you’ve properly polished a section, you should notice a major reduction in swirls, and the color should be much deeper as well. Be sure to switch to a fresh pad several times throughout the process for best results. Pads will start to get caked up with polish, and then they become less effective. I will usually go through 3 to 4 pads for an entire car, although it is possible to use less.

After you’ve finished the first polishing step, you may want to go back with your finishing polish to refine it a bit with a finer polish and pad combination. Typically speaking, you’ll generally use either a black or blue pad with the PO85RD polish. Since your Audi has a hard clear coat however, you’d be fine using it with a white pad. Use the same basic technique as with the PO203S, but you won’t need to use as much pressure because you’re simply refining the finish at this point.

After you’ve finished all of your polishing, I’d recommend either washing the vehicle again to remove all of the carrier oils from the polish, or wipe it down with Isopropyl Alcohol (aka IPA wipedown). Just put your regular store-bought IPA in a spray bottle…spray it on a section, wipe it down with a microfiber cloth, and move on to the next section. This will leave you with a totally clean surface that will help with the bonding of your sealant.

Once you’ve completed that step, then you can seal the surface with your Klasse Sealant Glaze as directed.

Since your Lexus has softer paint, you’ll want to use a little different combination. If you can see enough of the defects on the silver paint, then you probably want to first try PO203S with a white pad. This should give you enough cut to remove most of the defects, yet finish down very nice without having to do a final polish. If you wish to create more gloss, then I would continue on with PO85RD and a black or blue pad.

On both cars, you can then go back every now and then for a more simple maintenance polish using just your fine pad and polish combination.

Congratulations on making your plunge into detailing by machine. Just give yourself a little time to get used to the machine, how and when the polishes break down, and what the best polish/pad combinations are for your particular vehicles. It takes time, and nobody is an expert the first time they do it! Even after the first time you use it however, you will be amazed at how much better your car(s) will look.

Best of luck, and please let us know if we can answer any additional questions for you.